Meet Marketing Head and Fitness Buff Hilary Bass Rifkin

Hometown: London

Occupation: Head of PR/Marketing and PT, Lomax Bespoke Fitness, Nutrition and Wellbeing.

Favorite destinations: Sardinia, The Luberon, Amagansett.

Dying to visit: Peru, Tanzania, Argentina, Vienna.

Bizarre travel rituals: I have three pieces of jewelry that I must put on in a very specific order. A necklace my Nana gave to me before she died, the bracelet I was given when my son was born, a necklace with my children's names engraved on it. The other is more mundane: lots of water and a Berocca prior to boarding and again mid-flight on a long-haul flights.

In-flight relaxation regime: More often than not, I am traveling with my two children, so my regime is completely dependent upon their in-flight film and food options. If they are good, I am good.

Always in carry-on: My body weight in magazines. From Wallpaper to Vogue, The New Yorker to The Lady.

Concierge or DIY? DIY, but I do serious research before I go.

See it all or take it easy? Usually a combination of both. I like to get up and get out, but I love a good lunch on holiday, so post-lunch is for taking it easy.

Drive or be driven? Generally neither. I walk or take public transport as much as I can no matter where I am.

Travel hero: My Nana, who never skipped the opera in Verona, theatre in London, dinner in Paris, or the White Nights of Moscow.

Weirdest thing seen on travels: I was forewarned but was still taken aback when the locals in Vietnam were constantly touching my kids' faces. They are drawn to Caucasian features and fascinated by a child's face. But it was still a bizarre experience.

Best hotel amenity: A choice of pillows. Feathers, foam, Tempur-Pedic...a bad pillow can ruin a night's sleep, which will in turn ruin whatever plans you had for the upcoming day.

I dream about eating ouefs en meurette at Fontaine de Mars in Paris. And I will never stop loving lobster cooked in a fire on the beach in Amagansett, followed by s'mores.

Everywhere I go, I check out the local market. I know I can't cook in my hotel room, but always want to see what I might cook if I could.

When I arrive in a new place, I learn the lay of the land by taking a long walk or run.

I always bring home interesting lingerie and accessories from whatever amounts to a city's red light district, hotel shower caps, a piece of jewelry from a local designer.

If I never return to Marrakech it'll be too soon because it was worse than being on Oxford Street at Christmas. A constant assault on the senses with no opportunity to relax and let your guard down.

I travel for the relief and inspiration.